Keisuke Kumiko's words left Mouri Ran completely stunned. She had originally been about to get angry.
But it seemed he was right.
In fact, she had been thinking about what Shinichi would do if he were the one accused.
After all, Kudo Shinichi was her childhood love. You could even say he was everything to her—her god.
"I-I never believed it!"
After holding it in for a long time, Mouri Ran finally managed to say those words.
That crazy, mysterious man could go wherever he wanted. It would be best if he just died out there! Never come back!
She shouted with all her strength, as if trying to convince both the others and herself.
"Ran-Chan..."
Conan opened his mouth but then lowered his head, saying nothing.
Keisuke Kumiko looked at the girl struggling before him and smiled gently.
Traditional Japanese women want to fight for their rights and actively participate in the women's boxing movement, yet unconsciously, they still want to rely on men and surrender their most important rights.
"It's both contradictory and pathetic."
After leaving those words behind, Keisuke Kumiko said no more and exited the referee's room with Koshimizu Nanatsuki.
Only Mouri Kogoro remained, still furious and smacking Conan on the back.
And Mouri Ran was left in a daze.
---
Stepping out of the referee's room, they walked through the outer hallway.
"Mr. Kumiko, let's part ways here," Koshimizu Nanatsuki said with a smile.
She seemed to be in a good mood.
Naturally so, since she had avenged her friend without going to jail. Her debt was now settled.
A new life awaited her.
"Miss Koshimizu, this isn't the end of the story."
Keisuke Kumiko looked at her and pulled a document from his briefcase.
"Have you forgotten? This is the contract you and I signed for this lawsuit."
He pointed to a specific line in the contract.
Koshimizu Nanatsuki suddenly remembered something, and her expression changed.
Yes, after all, it was Keisuke Kumiko who had helped her win the case.
In other words, aside from returning the five million yen to Kusakabe, she also had to pay an additional commission for the legal services!
"Miss Koshimizu, based on 30% of the compensation, you still owe me 1.5 million yen. I'm keeping track."
Keisuke Kumiko said this with a smile.
"…"
Koshimizu Nanatsuki's mouth twitched.
It's just a small amount of money. Considering our relationship, I don't have to pay it back, right?
What do you mean by "our relationship"? I have nothing to do with you.
Keisuke Kumiko had a stern face, looking completely professional.
"If you refuse to repay the debt, we have the right to sue you in court and force you to pay up."
"You're so cruel! I'll find a way!"
Koshimizu Nanatsuki sighed helplessly, glared at Kumiko, and turned away.
Keisuke Kumiko watched her retreating figure with a smirk.
"Hmph, trying to fight me!"
He muttered as if letting out a sigh.
"You really hold grudges, don't you?"
A soft voice came from the side—Haibara Ai.
"Just because she schemed against you during the Detective Koshien case, you've been holding onto this grudge and taking revenge ever since."
"Of course. I never claimed to be a good person."
Keisuke Kumiko shrugged.
In fact, he had planned this lawsuit from the very beginning.
He could have demanded a much higher settlement from the defendant.
After all, everything had lined up perfectly—the timing, the place, the people.
The issue of Koshimizu Nanatsuki's privacy rights, when placed in a broader context, was a matter concerning all women.
Especially considering that judge and the way she ruled—if it cost ten million, she still would have made the same judgment without hesitation.
But Keisuke Kumiko didn't want that. He only wanted five million.
Just so he could later torment Koshimizu Nanatsuki and watch her stress over money.
"A stingy man like you... Any woman who marries you in the future will be doomed for life."
Haibara Ai said with a blank stare.
"Doesn't matter. I never planned on getting married. I have plenty of wives in my games. Who needs real-life fairies?"
"You're truly hopeless..."
Haibara Ai was too exhausted to even argue.
A pause.
"I have a question for you," she said.
"Why were you so sure the judge would rule in your favor? I looked into her background—she's a very proper woman. Besides working every day, she spends her time at home taking care of her husband and children. She's like Mouri Ran. Her personal records show no involvement in Japanese women's boxing at all."
"You're asking me this?" Keisuke Kumiko smiled faintly.
"It's simple. I knew she was on her period the moment I saw her. I already told you, didn't I? Women are easily affected by this factor."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"…"
Haibara Ai was speechless.
Why do you always take advantage of women's weaknesses? Do you have some kind of special hobby in studying menstruation?
"I don't have any peculiar interests. I simply use whatever tools are available to me."
Keisuke Kumiko paused at this point.
Then, he turned his head and looked Haibara Ai up and down. A slight smirk played on his lips.
"Now that I think about it, you've been living here for quite some time, but I've noticed that you never seem to have your period."
Haibara Ai raised an eyebrow.
"It's normal for a seven-year-old girl not to have a menstrual cycle, isn't it?"
"But you were originally an eighteen-year-old woman."
Keisuke Kumiko stared at her.
"What's so strange about that? I just became smaller."
"…"
Keisuke Kumiko met her gaze.
Haibara Ai looked at him calmly, her icy blue eyes flickering slightly.
A pause.
"Turritopsis dohrnii."
Keisuke Kumiko muttered a few words softly.
The girl's eyebrows twitched slightly, but she said nothing.
Keisuke Kumiko continued.
"I found this keyword in a file on your work computer, along with a lot of biological research data related to it."
"Out of curiosity, I looked it up online."
"Turritopsis dohrnii is the only known species that can be considered biologically immortal."
"After reproduction, it reverts from adulthood back to a larval stage, then grows into an adult again, reproduces, and reverts once more. This cycle repeats endlessly, meaning it can theoretically live forever. That's why it's called the 'immortal' or 'rejuvenating' jellyfish."
"I'm curious—why was this kind of information on the computer I gave you?"
Hearing his question, Haibara Ai simply lowered her head and remained silent.
Seeing her reaction, Keisuke Kumiko continued.
"I told you before—you are my employee, and you will work for me for free for the rest of your life."
He looked into her eyes, smiled softly, and reached out, gently ruffling her hair.
"So don't think about entangling yourself with the past."
"Your name is not Miyano Shiho, and your name is not Haibara Ai."
"Legal research is your only profession, and you can abandon everything else."
"Your real name is Kumiko Ai, and for the rest of your life, you will be known as Kumiko."
"Remember that."
---
(End of this chapter)